


Are you Happy?

by Sunshining5



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Angst and Romance, F/M, Friendship, Just Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:13:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24168658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunshining5/pseuds/Sunshining5
Summary: “My fiancé proposed to me a week ago.”He looks over and it’s dark, but his stupid smile glows. It’s of the tilted variety, the one where he’s upset but not willing to show it, and she wishes she couldn’t read her partner so well, so she could just pretend like they’re both happy about her recently elevated relationship status.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 24
Kudos: 99





	Are you Happy?

She remembers when it was a novelty.

The Akuma attacks were terrifying, inducing mass hysteria each week. They shut down schools, they shunned those akumatized, they feared Hawkmoth.

And then, as quickly as it came, it passed. 

Paris fell into a typical pattern. A blasé affair. A routine dance, steps well-worn and hardly unexpected. And Paris’ heroes did too. A routine, a duet between the two heroes that was only known to them.

It’s been years since Marinette felt actually scared by an akuma, and it's been years since she’s felt hopeful about actually finding Hawkmoth. 

But she finds herself content with this bizarre, years-long stalemate. Because as long as it continues, as long as Hawkmoth remains, and as long as Paris keeps caring _just enough_ about the attacks, she gets to remain as Ladybug. 

She gets to stay with Cat Noir, her very best friend.

* * *

He’s on a rooftop in the densest part of Paris watching the sun sink down, down, down, until he can’t see it anymore.

It's dark out now, but it wasn’t seconds ago. She waited to face him till dark, because Ladybug doesn’t want to see her partner’s expression. Doesn’t want to see the shift, the cracked, fake smile that gives zero comfort to the recipient or to the donor. 

“My fiancé proposed to me a week ago.”

He looks over and it’s dark, but his stupid smile glows. It’s of the tilted variety, the one where he’s upset but not willing to show it, and she wishes she couldn’t read her partner so well, so she could just pretend like they’re both happy about her recently elevated relationship status.

“He’s a lucky guy. Congrats.”

“I wish you could come to the wedding.” She’s lying. She would hate to see him converge on the miserable little world outside of Ladybug that she's desperately created. She would hate if he realized that this effigy of Ladybug is all she has.

“Unless you’re planning on wearing a mask, Lady, I don’t possibly see it happening.” 

Lady. He stopped calling her ‘my’ lady after she started dating her fiancé. It hurts more than it should, especially since he’s trying to be respectful. She shouldn’t complain. He’s right. She’s not his. She never has been, really.

Chat continues, “He’s a good guy, right?”

“He’s… fine. Hard to describe,” She gives a small chuckle, “yeah, I might be biased, but I think he’s an alright guy, Chat.”

“And you're happy with him?”

The question stops her short. Chat knows her all too well. He knows she’s practiced her fake excitement with her not-too-regretful, not-too-wistful smile. He’s always been able to see straight through her. She hates it that he figured out how, and, simultaneously, she loves the fact that it’s _him_ who can.

“I think I could be. I can see a life with him.”

She can see a life with him. Not the one she really wants, not a life with the one she wants.

But she can, and that’s got to be enough.

* * *

So, her fiancé is charming. Her parents find him charming. When he met them, they told Marinette he was quite the catch. They’re proud of her, but most importantly, they’re proud of her decision. Her choice of a man. He’s well off with a nice job and he and Marinette share the same expectations for each other, same ideals. They never fight. 

He proposed, and Marinette accepted quietly.

She wonders if Chat’s real identity is charming. If her parents would find him charming.If he was “quite the catch” material. She wonders if he’s successful. If they would have stupid arguments.

Her fiancé doesn’t know about her being Ladybug. He barely even cares about the “superhero scene” anymore, along with the rest of Paris. To him and to everyone except her partner, her best friend; she is Marinette, a fashion designer, a baker, and a perfect little fiancé.

Ironically enough, only around Chat she feels she wears no mask.

* * *

It’s a bright Tuesday morning and Marinette makes a pit-stop inside the brand new coffee shop near her (and her fiancé’s) place.

It’s a quaint cozy store with a good dark roast. It’s comfortable, filled to the brim with plush seating and natural sunlight. Not too much noise this side of town either. Nice.

A man walks in, and that’s not unusual for a coffee shop, but he catches Marinette’s eye. He’s dressed to the nines in designer clothing. Polished boots with tailored pants and a dark green sweater. The man looks around the place.

Marinette almost chokes on her coffee. 

It’s Adrien Agreste. 

She hasn’t seen him since school. They parted with promises to _“keep in touch.”_ Of course, life became busier and busier, and little things like keeping up with old crushes fell to the wayside.

She ponders if he, the world-famous model Adrien Agreste, still considers Marinette a friend. She debates waving him over for a brief conversation. A departure from her normal life into a nostalgic territory, one where she only worried about her dumb crush and homework. Not wedding venues and invitations and love.

Just as she’s about to talk herself out of an awkward small talk with an old classmate, Adrien catches her eye. Without hesitation, he grins at her like it’s still grade school, like they saw each other last week at the grocery store. 

“Hey, Marinette!” He slips into the seat adjacent to her. They relay each other’s shy smiles, “Long time no see?”

* * *

Marinette finds herself enjoying Agreste’s company. He politefully listens and responds; he doesn’t talk too much or too little. Their conversation has a delightful little rhythm she’s only ever had with one other person (her chaton). They play catch-up; he tells her about the stress of modeling, and she tells him about the stress of a wedding. Their talk comes to a lull. Not an awkward halt, but a pause, when they smirk and sip their coffees. 

Marinette, guard finally down and expression carefree, asks Adrien to walk with her to her parent’s bakery.

“They were fond of you,” she says, “Do you have time?” She doesn’t want this perfect piece of her untroubled teenage life to leave.

“Of course, Marinette.” He doesn’t either.

So they leave the coffee shop and walk to the bakery, also dubbed the “Wedding HQ” by her parents and fiancé. She wishes it was still the bakery.

Her fiancé is there with her parents, but only for a second. He and Adrien are barely introduced before he has to leave for work. Marinette smirks. 

Adrien, as remembered, is a well-mannered guest. Her parents coo over him, and in turn he coos over Marinette’s dress and the flowers and the color palette. He jokes about the catering and wiggles his eyebrows. Her parents laugh, charmed with his antics.

Her mother jokes, “Adrien, you should be the wedding planner. How are your ratings?”

Her father jokes, “If only Marinette were excited as you are!”

* * *

Sooner or later, Marinette realizes she’s spent the entire day with Adrien. They sit outside on the bakery’s balcony. 

Marinette has talked about her life more today than she ever has before. He draws confessions and options out of her, and gets her to talk on a personal level, despite this being their first meeting in years. They joke and laugh about the fashion industry and old inside stories till sundown.

She and Adrien sit together, feet dangling off the side of the building, and this green-eyed boy reminds Marinette so much of another green-eyed boy, the one she misses so much. She glances at the setting sun.

They both know he will have to leave soon.

“Adrien,” Marinette suddenly less alive than she was before, as she retreats back into her shell, “you should come to my wedding.”

Adrien smiles, more somber than the tight-lipped grins he usually gives, “I’d love to. Congratulations, Marinette. He’s a lucky guy. 

And for a moment, for a second between time and space, a second between weddings and dark rooftops, she is reminded of Chat Noir. And she is furious. 

_How dare she?_ How dare she use Adrien like this. How dare she pretend, act like Adrien is her partner, Chat Noir, the one who truly understands who Marinette is. Adrien Agreste does not deserve her baggage.

Oblivious as ever, Adrien continues,

“I’m glad you’re happy with him. And as your newly appointed wedding planner, I can safely say you two make a cute couple,” He laughs at his own joke. 

Even after all these years apart, Adrien remains as wonderful as her teenage mind remembers. He’s adorable and attentive, and probably blew off a thousand people and meetings just to hang out with an old friend today. He's a wonderful conversationalist, and he makes her feel like every word she says matters.

Marinette looks at him and her mind whispers, _I can see why I fell for you._

Marinette listens to him laugh and thinks, _I could fall for you again._

* * *

This time it’s the Eiffel tower. Chat leans over the metal railing, looking down at the city below. He doesn’t look at Ladybug. She doesn’t look at him.

“I’ve found someone,” he smiles that tilted fake grin, “we met at work.”

She works up the courage to look up. Her partner doesn’t.

“You’d really like her; she’s charming,” He says, staring out at Paris, “She’s beautiful,” 

“It’s good to hear you met someone, Chat,” She’s too upset; she needs to dial it back down. She can’t risk getting akumatized over this, over her partner’s dating life. Hell, she’s getting married, “I’m sure she’s lovely.” 

Chat nods. The tower’s railing must be interesting.

“Are you happy? With her?”

Chat nods again, and not looking in her eyes, says, “I could be.”

_He could be._

That’s got to be enough.

* * *

_Hot Gossip Magazine reports, “French model Adrien Agreste announces his new relationship with model Adeline Garnier !! See page 15 for details about the hottest couple in Paris !!”_

Marinette flips to page 15 of the magazine. The article says they met at Gabriel Agreste’s latest fashion show. They were both modeling at the time. Adrien said Adeline looked “stunning” the first time he saw her. What an absolute gentleman.

Marinette looks at a picture of the happy couple. Adeline Garnier _is_ stunning. She has a slender body type, with long legs and small shoulders. She has rich dark brown hair that’s styled to perfection. A brilliant smile. 

She has the brightest bluebell eyes, outlined in dark eyeliner and thick mascara.

Marinette drops the magazine in surprise, filled with recognition. 

_Oh,_ she thinks.

_What a coincidence._

Marinette picks up the magazine, and she puts it in the trash. She does not need to be reading “Hot Gossip Magazine”. The wedding date is coming up soon; it’s silly to indulge in celebrity news.

Marinette tries to practice how she will do her makeup for the wedding. 

Every time she looks in the mirror, Adeline Garnier eyes stare back at her.

* * *

It’s the same rooftop again.

She and Chat will sit up here like they do now. Just shooting the breeze. It’s different from when they were kids, when they were confused and didn’t know what they wanted. Times change. However, with change comes adjustment, and they adjust.

Chat doesn’t ask about Ladybug’s wedding, and Ladybug doesn’t ask about Chat’s girlfriend.

And Marinette doesn’t check tabloids for news about her old friend’s relationship, and Adrien doesn’t look his girlfriend in the eyes anymore. 

And Marinette works on her least passionate clothing project yet, her wedding dress, and Adrien and his girlfriend go on dates for the paparazzi.

And each time the superhero duo parts, each time they have to take off the mask and before they go back to their real lives, they ask one another, _“Are you happy?”_

And then they look at each other, and they remember what they once had together, and they look at each other and see the other’s eyes and then they _look._

They look at each other and think, _I could be._

And that’s got to be enough.

**Author's Note:**

> I Was Not In A Good Mood When I Wrote This, believe it or not. But thank you for reading, it means a lot to me. :) Berate me in the comments.


End file.
